Faculty Biographies

Dr. Franquemont attended Colorado College on a Boettcher Scholarship where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Chemistry in 1983. He graduated with honors from the University of Colorado School of Medicine in 1987 and completed his residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the University of Virginia in 1992. Dr. Franquemont was an Assistant Professor of Pathology at Washington University in St. Louis from 1992-1994. He joined the Pathology Department at Penrose in 1994. He is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology with subspecialty certification in Cytopathology. Dr. Franquemont is currently the Director of Clinical Chemistry.

Dr. Kircher is a1972 graduate of Harvard College and 1976 graduate of Harvard Medical School. He served his internship in Family Medicine at the University of Colorado followed by residency in Pathology at Penrose Hospital and a fellowship with the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia. He joined the Pathology Department at Penrose-St. Francis in 1983 with Board certification in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. He served as Director of the Residency Training Program from 1987 to 2003 and Director of Clinical Chemistry from 1983 to 2005. His particular area of subspecialty interest in Anatomic Pathology is gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary diseases. Dr. Kircher is Co-Director for Microbiology and oversees the hospital Infection Control/Epidemiology Program.

Dr. Lawshe earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering at New Mexico State University (1974 and 1976). He is a 1981 graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, completed residency training in the Department of Pathology at Penrose Hospital in 1985, and is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. He became a staff pathologist at Penrose Hospital in 1986, and has special interests in medical informatics, GI and GU pathology, and photography (at work and outside work).

Dr. Mayes attended the University of California at Berkeley, graduating in 1982 with a degree in History. He graduated from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1986 and completed his residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology at the University of Virginia in 1991. He joined the Pathology Department at Penrose in 1991, returning to the University of Virginia in 2005 for a fellowship in Dermatopathology. He is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, with subspecialty certification in Dermatopathology and Blood Banking and Transfusion Medicine. Dr. Mayes currently serves as the Medical Director of the Laboratory.

Dr. Merboth attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, graduating in 2003 with a degree in History. She is a 2008 graduate of the University of Nebraska College of Medicine followed by residency at Penrose-St. Francis. She completed a fellowship in Hematopathology at Oregon Health Science University before joining the staff in the Pathology Department at Penrose Hospital in 2013 . She is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology with subspecialty certification in Hematopathology. Dr. Merboth currently serves as Medical Director of Hematology and Coagulation.

Dr. Myers attended the US Military Academy at West Point for his undergraduate studies and graduated from Boston University Medical School in 1990, simultaneously receiving his MD and PhD in Pathology. His internship and residency were at Tripler Army Medical Center. He completed his Hematopathology fellowship at Beth Israel Hospital/Harvard Medical School in 1995 and joined the Pathology Department at Penrose in 2006. He is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology as well as Hematopathology. Dr. Myers currently serves as Medical Director of Hematology.

Dr. Newton attended Brigham Young University for his undergraduate studies and graduated from Loma Linda University Medical School in 1999. He performed his residency at the University of Utah where he also completed a fellowship in Hematopathology in 2005. He joined the Pathology Department at Penrose in 2005. He is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and Hematopathology. Dr. Newton currently serves as Medical Director of the Donor Center and Transfusion Services with subspecialty interest in Hematopathology. Dr. Newton is the Director of the Residency Training Program.

Dr. Sciotto is a 1976 graduate of Case Western Reserve University Medical School where he simultaneously received his PhD and MD. His internship and residency in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology were served at the University of Colorado. He practiced at the Denver Veterans Administration Hospital prior to joining the Pathology Department at Penrose in 1981. He is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, Hematopathology, and Immunopathology. Dr. Sciotto currently serves as Director of Cytogenetics and Immunopathology.

Dr. Leslie Torgerson is a 1991 graduate of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. She served her internship and residency at Tripler Army Medical Center. Following her discharge from the Army in 2000, she worked at hospitals in Texas before joining the Pathology Department at Penrose in September 2003. She is Board certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and works in Surgical Pathology.

Dr. Torgerson is a 1993 graduate of the University of Iowa School of Medicine. He served his internship at William Beaumont Army Medical Center and his residency at Tripler Army Medical Center and Brooke Army Medical Center/Wilford Hall Medical Center. Following his discharge from the Army in 2002, he completed a fellowship in Dermatopathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. He joined the Pathology Department at Penrose in July 2003. He is Board certified in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Dermatopathology and consults on derm path cases sent to the department.

John Eckman is a 1993 graduate of the Quinnipiac University Pathologists' Assistant Training Program in Hamden, Connecticut, and a 1989 graduate of the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Medical Technology Program. Mr. Eckman has practiced as a PA in Denver and Fort Collins, Colorado. Prior to joining the Pathology Department at Penrose in 2007, John served on the faculty at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. Mr. Eckman assists the pathologists at Penrose by performing the gross examination of surgical specimens, assisting with frozen sections and autopsies. John shares in the instruction and support of pathology residents in anatomic pathology, with an emphasis on gross examination and dissection skills.